FIVE Indian nationals have been dragged to court for allegedly stealing company information relating to construction of filling stations and attempting to corrupt an officer from Mount Meru Limited.

In this matter, Chetankumar Chambalal Jain, 41, a chief executive officer has been jointly charged with Shastri Dilipbhai, 46; Ashish Kumar Dixit, 42; Sharna Kumar, 47, of Emmasdale and Kalpesh Patel, 46, of Roma park.

In the first and second counts, the accused are charged with theft contrary to section 272 of the penal code chapter 87 of the laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence allege that the five between November 14, 2020 and July 21, 2021 in Lusaka, stole company information namely; Bill of quantities, diagrams and images relating to the construction of filling stations valued at K95,000, the property of Mount Meru(z) Limited.

In the third count, the accused are charged with unauthorized access to, interception of, or interference with computer systems and data contrary to section 49(4)(a) of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 2 of 2021 of the laws of Zambia.

In the fourth count, the accused are charged with prohibition of the use of computer systems contrary to section 63(1)(2) of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 2 of 2021 of the laws of Zambia.

Allegations are that the accused on the said date, without authority did communicate and share company information for Mount Meru using their email address and WhatsApp to persons not authorized to have access.

And further in count five, Dilipbhai is charged with corrupt transactions with private bodies contrary to section 20(4) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012 of the laws of Zambia.

It is alleged that Diliphbai on 5th May 2021, with intent to gratify Chengalo Chimumbwa, an engineer at Mount Meru(Z) Limited, did promise to offer him a sum of K2,000.00, in order to induce him to provide confidential information for Mount Meru limited to Surya Biofuel Limited.

When the matter came up for plea before Magistrate Jennifer Bwalya, Friday, the state informed the court that the matter was coming up for mention awaiting consent from the Director of Public Prosecutions for the fifth count.

The court was told the accused persons could not take a plea as the corruption charge needed consent from the DPP.

The matter was adjourned to August 25, 2021 for mention awaiting consent.